Day 4 - 5.90 miles (64.02 mins) @ 10.51/mile

I was going to visit my friend Felicity today for coffee, and I thought it might be nice to leave a little early and stop off at Wytham woods for a 1.5 mile out and back run on the way. What could be simpler! I ran out - round and round and up the forest tracks, got to somewhat of a peak after 1.5 miles and headed back. I know I did fine for the first 0.5 miles at least and of course I didn't need the Garmin to lead me home!

Then things began to look not so familiar, and where was the big scaffold-type structure I'd passed on the way up? And why was the track going up a bit still rather than just down. Anyway, I was steadfastly carrying on in the blind belief that my inbuilt sat nav was paying attention, and I reached a track road, just about where I should have. Turned right, flying down the hill with a little victory wave to quench my worries, through the gate . . . . .

Where was the bloody car then? For that matter where were any cars or semblance of a car park! Why did it say this was a Thames water redevelopment site, when it was supposed to be a set of huts next to a car park, and civilisation?

So actually it took me just over an hour in total, a few explanatory and apologetic texts to my friend to explain where I was and the GPS unit in my mobile (thank God for little rucksacks!) to find out where exactly I had pitched up (on the opposite side of the hill, and there was no obvious option but to climb back up the bloody thing, although I did try to go off on a small track instead until Blair witch thoughts overtook me). Eventually I found the track again, stuck to it and just to be on the safe side checked my progress with a couple out for a lovely freezing cold walk. As it turned out I had just ran past the turning I needed and I still had a field of sheep to go through. I do worry about sheep - has anyone ever been eaten by a sheep? They always look like they might just go 'boo' at any time.

So I finally got back to the car, and I'm stretching when the helpful couple turn up at their car parked next to mine. I heartily thank them again, and the woman admits she was thinking of telling me the long way back because she thought still had another lap in me! I wonder if the sheep would like her?

To top it all today was the coldest day I have ever knowingly run on - another new record on the great weather station last night of -5.9!!!! No snow yet though, but I can feel my Canadian accent coming on a treat! I repacked my meagre rucksack with all sorts of extra equipment on the run back, and think I may well take some of the ideas to heart - chocolate in particular.